Friday, May 27, 2011
American Dad
Format: Animated Sitcom
Created by: Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker, and Matt Weitzman
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, Rachael MacFarlane, and Dee Bradley Baker
No. of seasons: 4
No. of episodes: 72
Production Company (s): Fuzzy Door Productions, Underdog Productions, 20th Century Fox Television
Original Run: February 6, 2005 to present
American Dad! is a satirical American animated series produced by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions for 20th Century Fox Television.
It was created by Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, as well as two former Family Guy writers, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. The basic character structure is similar in both shows: a family consisting of a husband, wife, daughter, son and two "off" characters. The pilot episode aired in the United States on Fox on February 6, 2005, thirty minutes after the end of Super Bowl XXXIX; the regular series began May 1, 2005, after the season premiere of Family Guy. American Dad! follows the events of CIA agent Stan Smith and his family.
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Ratings
While the show has succeeded in being renewed for a fifth season, it has not matched Family Guy or The Simpsons in ratings success. On a typical Sunday, American Dad! has slightly more than half the viewers and share of the The Simpsons and Family Guy episodes that follow it on Fox. Its ratings are typically similar to or slightly lower than the King of the Hill episode that precedes it. For the week ending on April 6, 2008, it was Fox's least viewed primetime program.
Opening sequence
Similar to other animated shows' opening sequences, American Dad! features a recurring gag that is changed for every episode, except for "Office Spaceman", which started with the sequence interrupted early. As Stan wakes up singing "Good Morning, U.S.A." and has breakfast with his family, he heads out his front door and picks up the newspaper waiting on his front porch. He then cartwheels into his car and drives to his CIA office. The front page headline on the newspaper is different for each episode, like in The Simpsons (e.g. couch gags, Bart's chalkboard gags or Lisa Simpson's saxophone piece). It is usually a topical joke such as "Child obesity up, pedophilia down" ("Four Little Words"), "Economy turns corner, falls down stairs" ("Roger Codger"), "Bush finally gets joke about last name" ("Deacon Stan, Jesus Man"), "Iran changes flag to middle finger" ("Black Mystery Month"), or "Israel pulls out of Gaza, Gaza not pregnant" ("A Smith in the Hand"). These headlines are satirical in nature, usually directed at the United States Government, the media or current affairs. A notable exception is the episode "Office Spaceman", whose headline, "ALIEN SPOTTED!" (featuring a picture of Roger on the front page), shifts the sequence directly into the episode itself. As of season 4, the opening sequence has been replaced with a new one, starting with the episode "1600 Candles". While featuring the same music, most of the interaction with the family has been changed, and Stan no longer picks up the newspaper. Replacing the newspaper gag used in the first three seasons is Roger who pops up next to Stan in the family's SUV and sings the final "Good Morning, U.S.A.!"; wearing a different costume every time. Roger's sudden appearance causes Stan to end the sequence by crashing into the flagpole at the C.I.A. building. In the episode Tearjerker, the opening sequence was a parody and homage to James Bond movies.
Crossovers with Family Guy
Certain characters and locations have been featured in select episodes of Family Guy, another animated comedy created and produced by Seth MacFarlane.
227
Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons, The Cosby Show, and many more shows allowed African-Americans to share what used to be a mainly "white" entertainment medium. Shows that had African-Americans on them usually had them playing supporting or "extra" parts.
George Lopez is doing a similar thing buy giving Mexicans a more than supporting or "extra" part in sitcoms. George Lopez performed stand up comedy before he got his chance to run his sitcom (with the help of his good friend Sandra Bullock). He also has his own late night talk show. (Click here to find out more about George Lopez)
I would look at the characters played by Marla Gibbs (Mary Jenkins) and Jackee Harry as kind of a Betty and Veronica characters, except they are not fighting over a guy. Mary is like Betty and gets things done by the rules and only gets in trouble because Jackee gets her into it. Mary is homely (generally) while Jackee is a major flirt.
I will admit that I didn't watch this show much either because I was relatively young compared to who I imagine watched the show during its original airing or I might have been told not to watch it because the Jackee character was seen as very immoral by one of the people who raised me. Some people still think I must have been raised by wolves by the way I act. Awoooooooooooo!!!!!! Kibbles and Bits, Kibbles and Bits...... sorry.
227 was a great show that, like many good shows, ended with a moral lesson.
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Following are more details so you can get more familiar with the show
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227 was a popular American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985 until May 6, 1990. The series starred Emmy Award-nominated television actress Marla Gibbs, who shot to fame in 1977 on The Jeffersons as sassy maid Florence Johnston. 227 was produced by Embassy Television from 1985 until 1988, then ELP Communications produced the series in its final two seasons (1988-1990).
Origins
The show is based on a play written by Christine Houston about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building in 1950s Chicago.
Synopsis
Emmy Award-nominee Marla Gibbs portrayed the lead role, Mary Jenkins, a housewife who lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Lester Jenkins, a construction worker, played by Hal Williams, and their studious 14-year-old daughter, Brenda, played by Regina King in her first significant acting role.
Jackée Harry, another Emmy-winning actress played a flirty resident 227. Every building has a Mrs. Cravitz and this building had Pearl Shay. She was always snooping and getting into everyone's business. Funny stuff happens. You can watch clips on YouTube until they are removed. If you really are a good human being you'll buy the dvds or digital downloads.
Do you remember Olivia from Sesame Street? Well on 227 she was everybody's friend Rose. She also became the landlord. You have to watch the show in whatever way you can to find out the weird way she became the landlord.
Jackée's spin off Sandra didn't make it past the pilot.
227 ended in the spring of 1990.
227 Theme Song
The theme song for 227 was written by television songwriter Ray Colcord and sung by series star Marla Gibbs entitled "There's No Place Like Home".
George Lopez is doing a similar thing buy giving Mexicans a more than supporting or "extra" part in sitcoms. George Lopez performed stand up comedy before he got his chance to run his sitcom (with the help of his good friend Sandra Bullock). He also has his own late night talk show. (Click here to find out more about George Lopez)
I would look at the characters played by Marla Gibbs (Mary Jenkins) and Jackee Harry as kind of a Betty and Veronica characters, except they are not fighting over a guy. Mary is like Betty and gets things done by the rules and only gets in trouble because Jackee gets her into it. Mary is homely (generally) while Jackee is a major flirt.
I will admit that I didn't watch this show much either because I was relatively young compared to who I imagine watched the show during its original airing or I might have been told not to watch it because the Jackee character was seen as very immoral by one of the people who raised me. Some people still think I must have been raised by wolves by the way I act. Awoooooooooooo!!!!!! Kibbles and Bits, Kibbles and Bits...... sorry.
227 was a great show that, like many good shows, ended with a moral lesson.
**************************
Following are more details so you can get more familiar with the show
**************************
227 was a popular American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985 until May 6, 1990. The series starred Emmy Award-nominated television actress Marla Gibbs, who shot to fame in 1977 on The Jeffersons as sassy maid Florence Johnston. 227 was produced by Embassy Television from 1985 until 1988, then ELP Communications produced the series in its final two seasons (1988-1990).
Origins
The show is based on a play written by Christine Houston about the lives of women in a predominantly black apartment building in 1950s Chicago.
Synopsis
Emmy Award-nominee Marla Gibbs portrayed the lead role, Mary Jenkins, a housewife who lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Lester Jenkins, a construction worker, played by Hal Williams, and their studious 14-year-old daughter, Brenda, played by Regina King in her first significant acting role.
Jackée Harry, another Emmy-winning actress played a flirty resident 227. Every building has a Mrs. Cravitz and this building had Pearl Shay. She was always snooping and getting into everyone's business. Funny stuff happens. You can watch clips on YouTube until they are removed. If you really are a good human being you'll buy the dvds or digital downloads.
Do you remember Olivia from Sesame Street? Well on 227 she was everybody's friend Rose. She also became the landlord. You have to watch the show in whatever way you can to find out the weird way she became the landlord.
Jackée's spin off Sandra didn't make it past the pilot.
227 ended in the spring of 1990.
227 Theme Song
The theme song for 227 was written by television songwriter Ray Colcord and sung by series star Marla Gibbs entitled "There's No Place Like Home".
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